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| Author Tim Reckmann Licence CC BY 2.0, Source EU Autritt |
RTC North is holding a series of talks by Neil Warwick on Preparing Your Business for EU Exit – Success in 2021 and Beyond. Mr Warwick is a solicitor at the Newcastle office of DAC Beachcroft where he specializes in EU and national competition law. He is also the National Portfolio Chair on Brexit for the Federation of Small Businesses and has a held a number of other important appointments. His talks cover manufacturing, health and life sciences, subsea, energy and offshore and digital, tech and creative industries. I attended Mr Warwick's talk on health and life sciences which he delivered on Tuesday.
He started by acknowledging that brexit is an emotive subject and he did not wish to discuss its merits or otherwise, His task was to offer his audience practical advice and information. The UK's exit from the single market and customs union at 23:00 on 31 Dec 2020 was assured. There was no guarantee that agreement would be reached on the UK's future relationship with the EU. Businesses in the healthcare and life science sectors should plan on the assumption that there will be no deal with the EU upon the end of the transition period.
There will no longer be free movement of goods, services, labour and capital between the UK and EU. That means customs formalities and possibly tariffs on imports from and exports to the UK's biggest and richest market. It will be less easy to recruit workers from the EU or second British workers to operations in the EU member states. EU funding will cease. It will be less convenient to travel to EU states. Businesses should assess how these changes will affect them, identify areas of concern, make contingency plans to deal with those concerns and procedures for implementing the plans.
The healthcare sector could expect regulations to diverge over time. Businesses should stockpile essentials where they can. Contracts should be reviewed for clauses modifying or excluding performance as a result of brexit. There will be a lot of new legislation. New computer systems will be required. The UK will cease to have preferential access to many third-party markets. There will be extensive changes to IP, data protection and the regulation of medicines and medical devices.
Mr Warwick saw a number of opportunities arising from brexit. It was, in his view, preferable to be regulated by the MHRA. There could be an end to restrictions on state aid. It would be easier to work with partners outside Europe, Finally, the pandemic had shows that businesses should always be ready for the unexpected.
Mr Warwick saw a number of opportunities arising from brexit. It was, in his view, preferable to be regulated by the MHRA. There could be an end to restrictions on state aid. It would be easier to work with partners outside Europe, Finally, the pandemic had shows that businesses should always be ready for the unexpected.
Thise interested in British withdrawal from the EU and its consequences may wish to check out NIPC Brext, Anyone wishing to discuss this article may call me on 020 7404 5252 or send me a message through my contact form.
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